EU lawmakers demand tougher stance on Serbia following Mladic funeral

Opening the debate, EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos reiterated that genocide denial, historical revisionism, and honoring war criminals are incompatible with EU principles. Kos strongly condemned the attendance of Serbian ministers, military personnel, and Republika Srpska politicians at the funeral, whilst stressing that these actions do not reflect the entirety of Serbian society.

Croatian MEP Davor Ivo Stier criticized the EU's response to Belgrade as "lukewarm and ineffective," pointing to President Vucic's role as commander-in-chief regarding the military honors rendered to Mladic.

"We must clearly declare and decide that there is no place in the European family for those who glorify Ratko Mladic," Stier stated, adding that "there should be no European funds for those who refuse to distance themselves from the policies of Slobodan Milosevic."

MEP Tonino Picula similarly questioned the future of diplomatic relations with the current administration in Serbia, highlighting that the funeral served to showcase official state policy.

"The funeral of Mladic is the medium through which the overall policy of official Belgrade was identified once again," Picula warned, concluding that "it is entirely justified to ask whether the European Union should continue negotiations with Serbia at all under its present government."

Concerns over regional history were echoed by Stephen Nikola Bartulica, who stressed that Serbia is not ready for membership while living in denial of past aggression. Austrian MEP Helmut Brandstätter called directly for a halt to financial transfers, emphasizing that "a government that glorifies such crimes can never be part of the European Union."

In contrast, French MEP Thierry Mariani and Bulgarian MEP Petar Volgin accused the EU of double standards, contrasting the parliamentary outcry over Belgrade with the bloc's stance on Ukrainian historical figures and Western interventions in the region.

Concluding the session, Commissioner Kos confirmed that the upcoming annual enlargement reports on 28 October will incorporate an assessment of all relevant developments. Kos affirmed that while the European Commission will support Serbia's integration efforts, adherence to core EU values remains non-negotiable.